Mortal Shell II: How To Save Mutton the Cat and Unlock the Base Cat Through Vlas’ Quest

🚨 YOU CAN ACTUALLY SAVE VLAS’ CAT IN MORTAL SHELL II — AND MOST PLAYERS ARE MISSING IT! 🐈

Mutton isn’t just some random NPC cat. There’s a hidden multi-stage quest involving a kidnapping, a locked cage, the mysterious Unremarkable Key, and a merchant who can permanently disappear from the game if you rush the wrong step. 😳

And the biggest surprise? Finish the quest correctly and Mutton actually moves into Marrow Keep as your permanent base cat. But there’s one easy-to-miss step that can completely ruin your chance to grab everything before the rescue…

🔥 Here’s the complete Vlas quest — including exactly how to save Mutton and unlock the Base Cat 👇

There are plenty of reasons to explore every corner of Mortal Shell II.

New Shells.

Weapons.

Tarstones.

Hidden resources.

But sometimes the most satisfying discoveries have absolutely nothing to do with combat.

One of the best examples is Vlas’ questline, a relatively small NPC story that begins with a wounded traveler beside a wrecked caravan — and eventually ends with something much more wholesome: his missing cat, Mutton, becoming a permanent resident of Marrow Keep.

The quest is easy to overlook because it doesn’t behave like a conventional objective-driven mission.

There is no giant quest marker telling players where to go next.

Instead, the player has to talk to Vlas, inspect the environment, rest at Beacons, return to him, follow his movements and eventually locate him again after he becomes imprisoned at Lonesome Spire. Current guides published in August 2026 agree on the central route: Outskirts of Mammon → Lonesome Spire → Unremarkable Key → rescue → Marrow Keep.

And there is one particularly important warning:

Do not free Vlas before buying everything you want from the Brigand near his cage.

Once the rescue state advances, that merchant and his inventory are no longer available.

Here’s how the entire quest works.

The Story Begins With a Missing Cat

Vlas can first be found in the Outskirts of Mammon, along the Road to Absolution.

From the Outskirts of Mammon Beacon, head south along the route and continue toward the bridge. Players can then drop down from the bridge into the area beneath it, where Vlas is sitting beside his destroyed caravan.

The scene immediately tells you something went badly wrong.

Vlas is wounded.

The caravan has been destroyed.

Supplies are scattered around the area.

And his cat is missing.

That cat has a name:

Mutton.

Speak with Vlas until his dialogue is exhausted.

Then investigate the wreckage.

The most important object is the empty cage near the caravan.

Inspecting it confirms that Mutton disappeared during the attack and advances the quest. Current walkthroughs also report that this stage provides the first Coin of Mammon.

And this is where the quest starts behaving like a classic Soulslike NPC storyline.

You don’t simply complete an objective and move on.

You have to reset the world state.

Step One: Rest at the Beacon

After talking to Vlas and investigating the cage, return to a nearby Beacon and rest.

Then go back to Vlas.

Talk to him again.

When his dialogue stops changing, return to the Beacon again.

Then come back.

Repeat this process until his dialogue advances and he eventually leaves his initial location. Current NPC quest documentation describes this basic pattern as the game’s standard progression mechanic: talk → exhaust dialogue → rest at a Beacon → return → talk again.

This is probably the biggest reason players miss Vlas’ quest progression.

They speak to him once.

Nothing happens.

They assume the quest is finished.

It isn’t.

Mutton’s Disappearance Is Only the Beginning

As Vlas’ dialogue develops, the situation becomes considerably worse.

He learns more about what happened to Mutton and eventually becomes involved with the bandits responsible for the attack.

At this point, the quest moves away from the original caravan site.

And the next major destination is Lonesome Spire.

This is where the story stops being a missing-cat investigation and becomes a rescue mission.

Step Two: Find Vlas at Lonesome Spire

Travel to the Gate of Mammon Beacon.

From there, you need to climb toward Lonesome Spire.

The route involves wooden ramps and a large lift that takes you upward toward the bandit-controlled area. Current walkthroughs describe the lift as being on the western side of the Gate of Mammon route.

Once you reach the camp, look for Vlas.

He’s no longer sitting beside his destroyed caravan.

He’s inside a wooden cage.

And this is where the quest introduces its most important item:

The Unremarkable Key.

Step Three: DO NOT Free Vlas Yet

This is the most important warning in the entire quest.

Before using the Unremarkable Key to advance Vlas’ rescue, check the merchant near the cage.

The NPC is a Brigand.

And he sells items that you may want to purchase before continuing.

Multiple current guides specifically warn that his shop becomes unavailable after you progress the rescue.

So the correct order is:

Find Vlas → locate the Brigand → buy what you want → THEN get the key → THEN rescue Vlas.

One particularly useful purchase is the Glimpse sold by the Brigand. Destructoid’s current walkthrough specifically recommends buying the additional Glimpse before advancing the quest because the merchant cannot be accessed normally afterward.

This is one of those tiny Soulslike details that can leave completionists furious later.

You save the cat.

But accidentally lose the merchant.

Not exactly the perfect rescue operation.

Step Four: Find the Unremarkable Key

After dealing with the merchant, search the area around the bandit camp.

The Unremarkable Key can be found inside a hut/shack near the camp entrance.

Current walkthroughs consistently place the key around this bandit area and identify it as the item needed to advance Vlas’ cage sequence.

One guide describes the key as being behind a breakable wall in the shack.

Another walkthrough places it in a hut near the camp entrance.

Either way, the important thing is that you don’t need to search the entire game world for some mysterious universal key.

The Unremarkable Key is part of Vlas’ quest progression.

Once you have it, return to Vlas.

Step Five: Free Vlas

Interact with Vlas’ cage.

Continue through his dialogue.

Give him the Unremarkable Key when the appropriate prompt appears.

At this point, Vlas’ rescue sequence begins.

But don’t expect a dramatic boss battle.

This quest is deliberately different.

You aren’t required to storm the camp and slaughter every bandit.

Instead, Vlas eventually agrees to make his escape under the right circumstances. Current walkthroughs describe the sequence as Vlas planning to slip away at night when the captors are incapacitated.

The important thing is that once you have completed the cage dialogue and handed over the key, the rescue state has been activated.

And this is the point where the Brigand merchant becomes unavailable.

So again:

Buy first.

Rescue second.

Step Six: Return to Vlas’ Original Location

Once you’ve exhausted the dialogue at the cage, head back toward the location where you originally met Vlas.

This is another easy-to-miss part.

You may arrive expecting Vlas to be sitting beside the destroyed caravan again.

He’s not.

Instead, depending on the exact quest state, you’ll find a letter at the original location.

Current sources disagree slightly about precisely when the letter appears relative to the Lonesome Spire transition, but they agree that checking the original caravan location during this transition is important.

So if you’re following the quest and don’t see the expected next NPC:

Go back to the original Vlas location and check for the letter.

This is essentially the game’s way of telling you:

Vlas is gone.

But the story isn’t over.

Step Seven: Return to Marrow Keep

Now comes the payoff.

Return to Marrow Keep.

Head from the central Beacon toward the area around Sester Genessa’s training area / Merrick’s shop.

That’s where Vlas eventually establishes his new home.

And more importantly…

Mutton is there.

Current walkthroughs consistently report that Vlas and Mutton permanently relocate to Marrow Keep after the quest is completed.

This is the moment the whole quest was building toward.

The wounded traveler survives.

His cat survives.

And both of them finally have somewhere safe to stay.

Yes, You Can Actually Pet Mutton

And this is probably the reward players care about most.

Mutton isn’t a combat companion.

He doesn’t follow you through the world.

He doesn’t attack enemies.

He doesn’t unlock some secret overpowered ability.

He’s simply…

a cat.

A permanent cat at your base.

Current guides confirm that Mutton can be interacted with and petted after the quest, becoming a permanent resident of Marrow Keep alongside Vlas.

In a game filled with grotesque enemies, brutal encounters and grim environments, it’s an unusually wholesome reward.

And that’s precisely why players have been talking about it.

The Quest Also Pays You

The cat isn’t the only reward.

Completing Vlas’ questline provides two Coins of Mammon in total.

The first is obtained during the initial caravan sequence.

The second comes after finding Vlas and Mutton at Marrow Keep.

Current guides report that each Coin of Mammon can be sold to merchants for 500 Coins, giving the quest a total potential value of 1,000 Coins from the two rewards.

That’s not going to completely transform an endgame economy.

But for an early or mid-game character, it’s a nice bonus for a quest that mostly consists of exploration and dialogue.

The Full Quest Route at a Glance

If you just want the fastest possible checklist, here’s the route:

1. Go to Outskirts of Mammon

Find Vlas near the destroyed caravan along the Road to Absolution.

2. Talk to Vlas

Exhaust his dialogue.

3. Investigate Mutton’s cage

Search the wreckage and inspect the empty cage.

4. Get the first Coin of Mammon

This comes during the initial quest stage.

5. Rest at a Beacon

Return to Vlas.

6. Repeat the dialogue/reset

Keep resting and returning until Vlas leaves.

7. Travel to Lonesome Spire

Use the Gate of Mammon route and locate Vlas inside the cage.

8. BUY FROM THE BRIGAND

Do this before continuing the rescue.

9. Find the Unremarkable Key

Search the hut/shack around the bandit camp.

10. Return to Vlas

Use the key and exhaust his dialogue.

11. Return to the original Vlas location

Look for the letter if Vlas isn’t there.

12. Go to Marrow Keep

Find Vlas near the Genessa/Merrick area.

13. Talk to Vlas

Collect the final Coin of Mammon.

14. Find Mutton

Interact with the cat.

15. Pet the cat.

Quest complete.

What Can Actually Lock You Out?

There is one major practical mistake worth highlighting.

Giving Vlas the key before shopping with the Brigand.

The current guides are unusually consistent about this warning.

The merchant’s shop becomes unavailable once you progress the rescue state, meaning anything you wanted from his inventory should be purchased beforehand.

There is another common mistake:

Assuming Vlas’ first disappearance means the quest is over.

It isn’t.

Vlas’ storyline is designed around NPC state changes.

If you don’t see him where you expect him, rest at a Beacon and check the next location.

The broader NPC quest system in Mortal Shell II frequently uses this exact structure.

Is Mutton Actually Worth Saving?

From a gameplay perspective?

Probably not if you’re measuring rewards strictly by combat power.

There is no legendary weapon.

No unique Shell.

No game-breaking Tarstone.

No secret superweapon.

But that’s missing the point.

The reward is world persistence.

You changed what Marrow Keep looks like.

Vlas gets a safe place to stay.

Mutton gets a permanent home.

And the player gets one of those small environmental rewards that makes a game world feel more alive.

It’s also a nice reminder that Mortal Shell II isn’t entirely about optimizing DPS, farming Gloom or finding the next overpowered build.

Sometimes the correct answer is simply:

Save the cat.

Why the Quest Is Getting Attention

The community response makes sense when you look at the game’s overall tone.

Mortal Shell II is full of hostile environments, monsters and unforgiving combat.

Then, hidden among all of that, you stumble across an injured traveler whose biggest concern is finding his cat.

And the game actually lets you resolve that story.

Recent guides from multiple outlets have all highlighted Mutton becoming a permanent Marrow Keep resident as the final payoff.

That has made the quest something of a completionist favorite.

Not because it’s powerful.

Because it’s missable.

And because the game doesn’t hold your hand through it.

The Bottom Line

The Vlas quest is one of those Mortal Shell II side stories that looks insignificant at first and becomes surprisingly rewarding if you actually follow it to the end.

You meet Vlas beside a wrecked caravan.

You investigate an empty cage.

You rest.

You follow his story to Lonesome Spire.

You find the Unremarkable Key.

You rescue him.

And eventually, you return to Marrow Keep to discover that Vlas has made it home — with Mutton by his side.

There is one rule you absolutely shouldn’t forget:

Buy what you want from the Brigand before freeing Vlas.

Once the rescue advances, that merchant becomes unavailable.

Everything else is essentially a classic Mortal Shell NPC quest:

Talk. Rest. Return. Follow the trail.

And at the end?

You don’t get another weapon.

You don’t get a legendary build component.

You get something arguably much more important.

A cat at your base. 🐈

And honestly, after everything Mortal Shell II puts you through…

Mutton deserves the safe house.